Noriega Trial Delayed Again

January 22, 1992

The resumption of the trial of Manuel Antonio Noriega has been pushed back a week to Feb. 3 to give U.S. District Judge William Hoeveler more time to recover from heart surgery, members of his staff said on Tuesday.

The trial had been scheduled to resume on Monday after a six-week recess.

But Hoeveler, who underwent a triple coronary bypass on Dec. 23, decided he needed more rest, staff members said.

The trial has been in recess since Dec. 17, when the government rested its case after three months of testimony. A planned two-week Christmas break stretched to six weeks after Hoeveler entered the hospital complaining of chest pains.

Defense attorneys are scheduled to present their case when the trial resumes.